Aboard ships windows are exposed to static as well as dynamic loads, e.g. impact loads. Failure can lead to serious consequences. Therefore two research projects were initiated in order to analyze the load carrying behavior of windows. In addition to quasi-static ultimate load tests and drop tests with water filled rubber bags special attention is paid to the Finite Element (FE) modeling. In particular the response — stresses and deformations — to quasi-static lateral loads can be calculated with good agreement to test results. Hence FE calculations can be useful to determine and compare failure mechanisms of different window designs. An ultimate load range can be estimated by taking into account the breaking strength range of glass. A comparison between FE calculations and results of the impact tests showed that these are sensitive to conditions which could hardly be measured during the test, e.g. the shape of the approaching water-filled rubber bag. Varying of parameters eventually yielded that window response to impact loads can also be calculated sufficiently, at least, to evaluate different window designs. Further investigations on this topic are in progress.

Volume Subject Area:
Structures, Safety and Reliability
Topics:
Ships, Stress, Rubber, Water, Deformation, Failure, Failure mechanisms, Finite element analysis, Glass, Impact testing, Modeling, Shapes
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